Things to do in Nord-Pas-de-Calais

What could be nicer than to tour the city comfortably seated in a minibus? This is the perfect way to discover Lille in 75 minutes. Equipped with an audiovisual system in 9 languages (French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Russian), this city tour by bus offers views of the city’s main sites and monuments, from its origins to the most modern districts. Admire the Goddess statue as you drive past the Place du Général de Gaulle (Grand Place) and see the Opera House, the Chamber of Commerce and the Beauregard Row at the Place du Théâtre. Of course, you will also drive past the Townhall with its Belfry, the Citadel and the Old Paris Gate.

Visit Lille's most charming district and admire its architecture, shops, and museums on a 2-hour guided walk. Learn about the old town's heritage and history from your guide as you pass Vieux Lille's landmarks and monuments. Some of the attractions you’ll see include the Palais Rihour, the main square, the Old Stock Exchange, the Opera House, the Chamber of Commerce, and Notre-Dame de la Treille Cathedral. The tour will conclude near the Hospice Comtesse. Founded in 1237 by Jeanne de Flandre, the Hospice features a display of works from Lille's past including objects from everyday life, wooden sculptures, earthenware, furniture, and paintings.

Plunge into the depths of the ocean with Nausicaá. Nausicaá invites you to enjoy a unique experience that will delight the whole family. You'll meet the 1,600 species that call the aquarium home, such as grey reef sharks and the impressive manta ray. Nausicaá is a 4,5 hours visit, with the chance to take part in a range of activities included in your ticket: animal feeding, medical training for the sea lions, quizzes, etc. During your visit, you can take a break in one of our restaurants and relax in an exceptional setting. To make your experience even more special and personalised: Rent your Audioguide : Explore the tour routes at your own pace and learn more about the marine world. Available in French, Dutch, English and German. You can rent them at the information desk (4,20€ ) in the main hall (after the entrance)

Begin your tour with one of the true classics: a flaky butter croissant made fresh from one of the city’s best-loved bakers. Here, you’ll also enjoy a taste of homemade sourdough bread and hear more about the family who runs this local favorite. Naturally, macarons should be at the top of the menu for any visit to France. Your next stop will take you to a master chocolatier for some tasty treats to kick off the tour. As a Meilleur Ouvrier de France – a title awarded to only the best in their craft – you can be sure that these are some of the best quality chocolates in the neighborhood. It's then time for a lesser-known but equally delicious snack at a local food market: chickpea pancakes. Afterward, you’ll be guided through Paris’ Jewish quarter on a short historical walk. As you explore a century-old shop bursting with regional delicacies, hear more about the Jewish history of Paris. Enjoy some unique pastries in a family-run bakery, then get insight into how the French shop for produce, all while tasting a delicious selection of cheeses and cured meats. Originally opened as a protest against fast food, at the next restaurant you'll try some delicious French onion soup and learn more about the menu, which consists of locally sourced ingredients and dishes made from scratch. Journey onwards for a pastry experience like no other. Mixing Syrian flavors with French patisserie techniques, visit a French-Syrian baker who crafts delicious pastry nests. It wouldn’t be right to finish without a glass of wine. Your last stop will take you to a spot specializing in natural wines. Here, you’ll meet the owner and hear about this fascinating world.

Take a retro guided tour of the beautiful city of Lille on board an iconic Citroen 2CV, as idiosyncratically French as a beret or baguette. Tours can vary from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, with room for up to 3 passengers. Riding in the famous car, feel the vroom-vroom of its tiny engine (2CV literally means "2 tax horsepower"). Lean over at every bend in the road and enjoy the vintage upholstery. If the weather’s right, you’ll tackle the cobbled streets with the roof rolled back and the wind in your hair. Your driver-guide will tell anecdotes about the city at every nook and cranny en route, and they'll advise you on the best places to go when you’ve regained your street legs. Lille is an ideal city to tour in a 2CV; the streets are narrow, and though the cobbles might shake and rattle your bones a bit, you'll feel every part a native. Check our website for more options.

Pick-up at defined meeting location : Tourism office. Leave for 1 hour through the streets of Lille. Discover the grand square, the theater square, old Lille, the belfries, the museum of fine arts, the town hall, the Porte de Paris, the Gantois hospice, the Lille baths.. You will pass through the alleys, unusual places, as close as possible to Lille buildings and monuments. Discover the unique architecture of Lille, the multifaceted capital of Flanders. At the end of the visit, the driver will drop you off wherever you want: at the restaurant, at your hotel or in the heart of the city.

Explore the must-see monuments of Lille, one of the most cultural cities in France, with the Lille City Pass. Ride in a convertible bus and visit the Fine Arts Museum of Lille, the Piscine-Museum of Art and Industry in Roubaix, the LaM in Villeneuve d'Ascq, the Museum of Charles de Gaulle's birthplace, and many more places! Take advantage of free visits to the tourist sites of Lille for 24, 48, or 72 hours and receive free, unlimited use of Lille's metropolitan public transport network (metro, bus, tram). Enjoy your visit without the stress of purchasing tickets for the hottest attractions and transportation. The Lille City Pass will relieve your worries and allow you to focus on the fun part of traveling. Not only will it save you time but also money. Enjoy access to the following sites: Fine Arts:Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille La Piscine, Musée d'Art et d'Industrie André Diligent - Roubaix MUba Eugène Leroy - Tourcoing Le Fresnoy, Studio national des arts contemporains - Tourcoing LaM, Lille Métropole Musée d'art moderne, d'art contemporain, d'art brut - Villeneuve d'Ascq Science and Discoveries:Musée d'Histoire Naturelle - Lille Musée de l'Institut Pasteur de Lille - Lille La Manufacture, musée de la mémoire et de la création textile - RoubaixForum départemental des Sciences - Villeneuve d'Ascq  History and Traditions:Musée de l'Hospice Comtesse - Lille Maison natale Charles de Gaulle - Lille Musée des Canonniers Sédentaires de LilleL'Institut du monde arabe - TourcoingLa Condition Publique - RoubaixMaison Folie Hospice d'Havré - Tourcoing Musée des Moulins - Villeneuve d'AscqMusée des Arts et Traditions Populaires - Wattrelos Musée de la Résistance - Bondues Musée de la Bataille de FromellesFort de Seclin  Listed sites:Villa Cavrois - Croix Beffroi de l'hôtel de ville de Lille Beffroi d'Armentières  Natural areas:Mosaïc, le Jardin des Cultures - Houplin Ancoisne Les Près du Hem - Armentières Musée de Plein Air - Villeneuve d'Ascq 

At the beginning of the 20th century, the North was one of the most industrialized regions of France. Roubaix and Tourcoing were then an important center of textile production, which earned Roubaix the name of “city of a thousand chimneys”. The Cavrois-Mahieu company, founded in 1865, manufactures high-end fabrics for Parisian houses. In 1923, the company, which had five factories, employed nearly 700 employees. Paul Cavrois, owner of the company, decides to build a house for his family. In 1922-1923, he acquired land in Croix, on the outskirts of Roubaix. In 1929, Paul Cavrois entrusted the construction of his villa to the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens. Mallet-Stevens developed his project in 1929 and the villa was inaugurated three years later, on the occasion of the marriage of one of the daughters of the family, Geneviève. Mallet-Stevens developed his project in 1929 and the villa was inaugurated three years later, on the occasion of the marriage of one of the daughters of the family, Geneviève. Abandoned, the villa is prey to vandalism and deteriorates rapidly, despite its classification as a historical monument in 1990. Thanks to the mobilization of a preservation association, the State acquires a large part of the property in 2001: the villa and the central part of the park.

As per usual, we have surrounded ourselves with locals who know their city like the back of their hand in order to present to you the best addresses in town while remaining as far as possible from the downtown tourist traps ! In the program ? Specialties from Lille and many more such as Maroilles fries, best french burger, charcuterie and cheese, local pastries and many other surprises Vegetarians are also welcome :)

From May 26 to 4 June 1940, Dunkirk was the theatre of the largest evacuation effort in military history: 338 000 Allied soldiers were evacuated on a flotilla of more than 800 ships. Discover the incredible story of Operation Dynamo with our exclusive ‘Dynamo Tour’, a trip back in time which pays tribute to all the allied soldiers involved in the operation and who created ‘The Dunkirk Spirit’, a symbol of hope and resistance. During a pleasant tour on board your coach (or your car if you choose the individual VIP tour), which will drive around Dunkirk, our guide will introduce you to the unmissable sites of Operation Dynamo. It will also lead you on the tracks of the shooting of the movie ‘Dunkirk’ directed by Christopher Nolan, released in July 2017. During the tour, we will stop at the following memorial places: The evacuation beaches The beautiful, wide sandy beaches are very peaceful nowadays. Things were quite different in the spring 1940. Imagine being a soldier of the BEF, hoping desperatly to climb on board one of the Dunkirk Little Ships to escape the ‘Hell of Dunkirk’… The port The East Mole in the port was the point where most of the soldiers were evacuated. We’ll make a stop at an impressive bunker, built by the Germans during the occupation, to see the preserved part of the original East Mole. British Memorial and Cemetery The impressive British Memorial commemorates the memory of the 4528 soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force who died during 1940 and who have no known grave. Next to the memorial is a cemetery of 810 graves of British soldiers. Most of them were killed defending the perimeter of Dunkirk during the evacuation operations in May-June 1940.